ORIGINAL ARTICLE   Free access

Minerva Urology and Nephrology 2021 April;73(2):260-4

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6051.19.03492-1

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Real-life data on long-term follow-up of patients successfully treated with percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

Daniele BIANCHI ¹ ✉, Valerio IACOVELLI ², Isabella PARISI ³, Filomena PETTA ¹, Gabriele GAZIEV ¹, Luca TOPAZIO ¹, Pierluigi BOVE ², Giuseppe VESPASIANI ², Enrico FINAZZI AGRÒ ²

¹ Department of Urology, Tor Vergata Polyclinic Hospital, Rome, Italy; ² Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; ³ Unit of Neuro-urology, IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to evaluate the “real-life” data of patients following successful treatment with PTNS for overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) or non-obstructive voiding dysfunction (NOVD) at a seven-year follow-up after the procedure.
METHODS: Patients who were successfully treated with PTNS for OAB or NOVD between February 2008 and January 2009 were contacted for a telephonic interview seven years after the end of their PTNS stimulation protocol. Patients who agreed to the interview were asked to complete a global response assessment (GRA). Patients in the OAB category completed the OAB short-form questionnaire Symptom Bother Scale (OAB-q SF) and the OAB Health-Related Quality of Life Scale (OAB HRQL), and NOVD patients were evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score - voiding questions (v-IPSS). Results of both questionnaires were compared with those obtained seven years previously, at the time of the initial PTNS treatment.
RESULTS: Seventeen patients were identified in our database. Sixteen agreed to the interview, but the remaining patient was unreachable and was therefore considered as lost at follow-up. Eight patients were classified into the OAB group, and eight were classified into the NOVD group. No patient reported a worsening condition after PTNS. Six of the eight patients (75%) in the OAB group gave positive responses in the GRA. All patients in the NOVD group gave positive responses in the GRA.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite some limitations, this study shows that the majority of patients who responded to PTNS considered themselves still improved at a seven-year follow-up. Larger studies are needed to confirm our results, but our study has the novel advantage of showing data derived from “real life” over the longest follow-up yet considered in the literature.

KEY WORDS: Tibial nerve; Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation; Overactive urinary bladder; Urination; Lower urinary tract symptoms